D.C. Council 2012 Primary Results: At-Large Race Is Close (UPDATES)

04/03/2012 08:50 pm ET
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Updated
Apr 04, 2012

WASHINGTON -- Voters in the District of Columbia went to the polls on Tuesday in party primaries to determine general election candidates in a handful of races for D.C. Council seats, slots in the D.C. shadow delegation and D.C.'s non-voting congressional delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, where Eleanor Holmes Norton is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.

For current results from the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics, click here.

Here's where things stand ...

AT-LARGE
Incumbent D.C. Councilmember Vincent Orange (D), who previously represented Ward 5 and won a special election last year for the At-Large seat, may have eeked out a narrow victory over former Councilmember Sekou Biddle. As of midnight with 100 percent of precincts reporting, Orange led Biddle, 39.75 percent to 38.77 percent. DCist reports that the At-Large race will remain unsettled for at least 10 days as absentee and provisional ballots are counted.

There are plenty of people in town who want Orange out of elective office, but Orange's opposition has been splintered. Also in the At-Large Democratic race are former Prince George's County Councilmember Peter Shapiro and the Rev. E. Gail Anderson Holness.

Mary Brooks Beatty was unopposed on the Republican Party ballot. Two Statehood Green candidates were on the ballot for the At-Large seat, G. Lee Aikin and Ann Wilcox, who was leading the Statehood Green race.

WARD 2
Longtime D.C. Councilmember Jack Evans ran unopposed in the Democratic primary in Ward 2, which includes Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, downtown and Foggy Bottom. Progressives have wanted to field a strong candidate to oust the Wilson Building's seasoned veteran for years and failed this year too, as the Ward 2 lawmaker raised a ton of money early.

There were no Republican or Statehood Green candidates on the ballot.

WARD 4
D.C. Councilmember Muriel Bowser, who was groomed by then-Mayor Adrian Fenty to win a special election to fill his former council seat in 2007, has a commanding lead in the crowded Democratic primary in Ward 4, which spans the northern Rock Creek Park, including parts of Chevy Chase, Petworth, Crestwood, Brightwood and Manor Park, among other neighborhoods.

Because of all the competition, Muriel Bowser -- there's another Bowser in the race, Renée Bowser -- has been in a good position to retain her seat. Despite leading the council's effort last year to draft and comprensive ethics reform, she's been dinged as not being aggressive enough to push through a meaningful legislative package and shake up the Wilson Building.

There were no Republicans or Statehood Green candidates on the ballot.

WARD 7
All eyes are on Yvette Alexander as the incumbent has faced a dissatisfied Democratic electorate in the ward, which is primarily east of the Anacostia River including neighborhoods like Deanwood, Benning, Fairfax Village, Penn Branch and Hillcrest. Returns showed Alexander holding a comfortable lead in the Democratic primary through Tuesday night.

In the Republican field, Ron Moten -- the former Peaceoholics organizer, Adrian Fenty ally, Vincent Gray antagonist and new "Civil Rights Republican" -- beat challenger Don Folden Sr., and will go on to face Alexander. Expect a spectacular fight from Moten heading into the November general election.

There was no Statehood Green candidate on the ballot.

WARD 8
Former Mayor Marion Barry, who has held the Ward 8 seat since 2004, is the favorite to win and remains a larger than life figure in the ward, which covers an area south of the Anacostia River, including neighborhoods like Anacostia, Congress Heights, Barry Farm and Washington Highlands.